September 07, 2003

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A VDARE.COM Contributor Worries About Smears; Peter Brimelow Reassures Him.

From: Steven Piper [email him]

Re Schwarzenegger's talk show comments: In the Walnut Creek candidates' debate last Wednesday, State Senator Tom McClintock said in a particularly clear and firm voice, when asked by the reporter from La Opinion, Pilar something-or-other: "I supported 187, I campaigned for 187, I voted for it, and I continue to support 187."  He is the ONLY major candidate who has done that.  Arnold, who failed to attend, has done nothing but talk out of both sides of his mouth. 

Moreover, McClintock was the only candidate to call illegal aliens, "illegal aliens" - the others being fond of the increasingly ubiquitous expression, "undocumented workers." 

Needless to say, Tom also made it very explicit that he adamantly opposes Davis' latest bit of pandering: signing a bill, which he had vetoed twice previously, that will provide state drivers' licenses for illegal aliens.      

Tom's campaign does emphasize the car tax, but three elements are involved, in my estimate:

• Tom was the legislative author of the original rollback and has gone to court to stop Davis' illegal unilateral tripling of the tax;

• The now-governor of Michigan used this very issue to win - you can bet Tom is aware of that.

• Tom's emphasis might be a simple reflection of who he is – or, as we said in our campaign material when I worked for him in the '94 State Controller's race: "Tom's CHEAP. He's REALLY cheap."

He does after all have the blood of Scottish clans coursing through his veins.

P.S. If I could get in another shameless plug here, Tom is also the author of California's death penalty law.

Peter Brimelow comments: The more the merrier! Although VDARE.COM can't legally get involved in elections, we are certainly interested in any mention of our favorite issues. And Senator McClintock was indeed outspoken on illegal immigration in the debate and in subsequent interviews.

Curiously, however, his campaign website carried no report of his comments – or, indeed, anything on immigration at all.  And we also hear nasty stories about McClintock's past comments on legal immigration. 

Significantly, a San Jose Mercury News story this weekend was headlined "Immigration stokes new fire in recall race." [by Laura Kurtzman, September 6, 2003] But the text reveals, probably inadvertently, that this is because Democrats are using it to ignite their ethnic constituencies. The Republicans continue to back peddle. McClintock is not mentioned.

But, hey, as Schwarzenegger has said in criticizing Davis' switch on licensing illegals: "Now it's election time. Of course, everything changes." There's plenty of time for something to break lose.

That's why the political establishment hates elections and has so derided California's recall And why we should have recall provisions in every darn state.

In fact, how about nationally?